Automatic railroad gate



June 24, 1 930. J. HOLLY 1,766,516

' AUTOMATIC RAILROAD GATE Filed June 30, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 24, 1930. E. J. HOLLY 7 AUTOMATIC RAILROAD GATE 4 Sheecs-Sheet 2 Filed June 50, 1928 ATTORNEY WITNESS:

WITNES E. J. HOLLY AUTOMATIC RAILROAD GATE Filed June 30, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR W ATTORNEY June 24, 1 930. HQLLY 1,766,516

AUTOMATiC RAILROAD GATE Filed June 50, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1/ H. w L, 31 /3 4+ 6% .a/

4a 4/ w W INVENTOR WITNESS' ATTORNEY Fatenteei June 24, 1930 ED 3'. HOLLY, OF TAYLOR, TEXAS AUTOMATIC RAILROAD GATE Application filed June 30,

This invention relates to automatic means for closing crossing gates of railroads, the general object of the invention being to provide liuil pressure means for closing the ates n ch are actuated by an electric circuit closed by a train approaching the crossing, with valve means operated by the circuit for permitting the pressure to be re leased after the train passes the crossing so that the gates will open. under the action of gravity after the train passes the crossing.

Another object or" the invention is to provide "leans on the train whereby the engineer f the train can break the circuit to prevent the gates closing or to open them after they have 1 een closed.

' erence will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a railroad crossing showing the gates in closed position.

Figure 2 is an elevation showing the gates closed in full lines and open in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing the means for actuating the gates.

Figure a is a diagrammatic view of the circuits.

Figure 5 is a view showing the parts on the train for engaging the third rail for closing the circuits.

In these d airings, the gates 1 are pivoted to the supports 2 and are normally held in open position by the weights 3 in the usual manner. A casing is arranged at the lower part of each support and a tank 5 is arranged 2i below the casing of one gate, this tank containing oil or the like. A cylinder 6 is arranged in each casing and the piston T of each cylinder has its piston rod 8 passing through an opening in the top of the casing I and has rack teeth 9 at its upper end for en- 1928. Serial No. 289,470.

gaging a gear 10 on the pivot of the shaft so hat when the piston is raised the rack enthe gear will lower the gate.

A pump 11 is arranged in one casing and has an inlet pipe 12 depending into the tank. 55 The outlet of the pump is connected by a pipe 13 with the bottom ot' the cylinder in the casing, this pipe containing a check valve 1%. A second pipe 15 connects the pipe 13 at a point adjacent the cylinder with the top of the tank and a valve 16 is arranged in the pipe 15, the valve being normally held in open position by the spring 17 on its stem. A pipe 18 connects the pipe 15, adjacent the point where it connects with the pipe 13, with the cylinder in the casing of the other gate. A motor 19 is arranged in the casing and is geared to the pump for driving the same.

A lever 20 is pivoted at one end to a suitable support in the casing and has its central portion engaging the upper end of the stem or" valve 16 and the outer end of the lever is engaged by an armature 21 of a solenoid supported in the casing. Stationary switch parts 23 and 2 1 are arranged in the casing and a movable stem 25, provided with the bridge pieces 26 and 2?, is slidably arranged between the switch parts, the stem being connected to a lever 28 pivoted to a hanger 29 in the casing and having a set 80 screw 30 at its free end which is adapted to be engaged by the upper end of the piston when the same is raised, to disengage the part from the part 23 and engage the part 26 with the part 2%.

A third rail, composed 01? wires 31, is attached to one of the rails of the track by the brackets 32, the wires being insulated from the brackets and the parts of the third rail on each side of the crossing are connected together by a wire 33 which passes under the roadway. A conductor 34 connects the third rail with one of the switch parts and a branch conductor 35 connects the conductor 34 with one of the switch parts 23. A conductor 36 connects the other part 23 with the motor and a conductor 37 connects the other terminal of the motor with the conductor 38 which is connected with the solenoid, the ground wire of the solenoid being shown at 39. The conductor 38 is also connected with the other part 2- A battery B is carried by the train and conductors -10 connect the battery with the wheels 41 carried by parts of the train and engaging the third rail. A switch S is arranged in one ot the coi'iductors lO so that the engineer can break the circuit to the wheels whenever he desires. As shown, these wheels are carried by the arms pivoted to parts of the train and provided with springs which press the wheels upon the third rail. The pressure can be regulated by the set screws ll attached to stationary parts and engaging portions of the arms. I prefer to place one of these wheels on the locomotive and another on the tender so tria one wheel will engag a wire oi": the third ail when the other wheel is passing from one wire to another so that the train can pass over a switch.

for instance. without breaking the circuit. The \VlI'Grl are kept stretcl {i by the springs 44- which connect their ends with some of the brael-zcts.

wheels 4! will strike the third rail and la current will llw: lror-i the batte y ll 07 train through the comlnctors it) to the t rail and will then pass over the coiuhictors ll and 35. thoughv the swi h composed of the parts 2 and iii, through conductor Sil to the motor and from the motor the current: will pass through conductors 37 and 38 through the solenoid to ground. The ground wire 3!) will be connected to one of the rai ot' the track. Thus the motor will actua the pump and the core ot the solenoid will depress the lever 20 and cause said lever to close the valve 1G. The pump will pump the oil through the pipe 13 into the cylinder (3 and some of this oil will pass through the pipe 18 to the cylinder of theother gate. The pistons will tlu-re'lorc be rai ed and thus the gates will be lowered. As soon the p 3.011 strikes the screw 30 ot lever 28, the stem 25 and its switch parts will thus closing the lower switch rid then cu rent will pass from the battery through conductor Ill. the. lower switch, conductor 38, through the solenoid, the circuit of the motor being broken. The pump will then cease to our-rate. but the core ol the solenoid will continue to hold the rah it) clo l. 'lhus oil cannot escape from the cylinders and thus the gates will remain closed while ti train is passing the crossin After the train has passed the crossing, the wheels 41-1 will pass otl' the third rail. and then the circuit to the solenoid will be broken so that the spring '17 will open the "valve 10 to permit oil to drain from the cylin 'clers bac into the tank, thus permitting the weights to raise the gates. A spring 48 i ,vrovided for returning the switch, and the ercr 23 to their normal he lovi'ei' positions with the upper switch closed. If the engineer wishes to open the gates after they have been closed by a train approaching the crossing, he can open the switch S, which will break the circuit and thus the gates will open and by opening the switch before the train strikes the third rail, the gates will not be closed.

A hood -15 is arranged on each piston rod and extends over a tubular n'ien'iber it; which covers the hole in the casing through which the piston rod passes so that rain or snow is prevented from entering the c: sing.

I prefer to form each gate shown in Figure 2. with the hangers -'tT which are formed of flexible n'iaterial so that a vehicle will not be damaged by striki 7 the rate itself.

It thought from the foregoing; description that the advantz'iges and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

It '1 to he understood that I may make changwi in the construction and in the comli nation and arrangement of the several p ls. provided that such changes l'all within Llil, scope of the appended clain.

li'hat I claim i Tileans for closing railroad crossiiug gates comprising: a cvlindcr ":sociatcd with each aie. a piston in each cylinder. a piston rod having rack teeth thereon, a gear on the shaft i'l' each gale meshing with the rack teeth. a ink containing fluid. a pinup havin its inlet connected with the tank, pipes connecting the outlet ol the pump with the cylinders, a disarge, pipe connected with the first meu .7 vd pipes, a valve in the disaharge pipe. a spring for normally holding the valve in open positioi'i. magnetic means for dosing the valve, a motor for operating the pump, circuits for the pump and magnetic means. a double switch for controlling the circuits. d switch closing' the circuits of the mag tic n'icans and the motor wnen in raised o (ion and closing the circuit of the magizel'ic means and brealnn the circuit of the E D .l. H )LLY. 

